2. (old).—A fart.
1611. Cotgrave, Dict., s.v. Pet. A scape, tayle-shot, or cracke.
1598. Florio, Worlde of Wordes, s.v. Pettare. To let a scape or a fart.
3. (old).—An act, or effect, of fornication.
1594. Shakspeare, Lucrese, 749. Day . . . night's scapes doth open lay. Ibid. (1604), Winter's Tale, III. 3, 73. Sure some scape . . . I can read waiting-gentlewoman in the scape.
Verb. (artists').—'To neglect one's brush' (Bee).
Scape-gallows, subs. phr. (old).—One
who deserves but has
escaped the gallows (Grose).
1839. Dickens, Nich. Nickleby, xliv. Remember this scape-gallows . . . if we meet again . . . you shall see the inside of a gaol once more.
Scape-grace (or -thrift), subs.
phr. (old).—A good-for-nothing;
a ne'er-do-well (Grose).
1577-87. Holinshed, Hist. Scot., an. 1427. For shortlie vpon his deliuerance, he gathered a power of wicked scapethrifts, and with the same comming into Inuernes, burnt the towne.
1862. Thackeray, Philip, ii. I could not always be present to guard the little scape grace.
1885. D. Telegraph, 29 Sept. The scape-graces and ne'er-do-wells you considered dead a generation since.
Scaramouch, subs. (old).—1. A
buffoon; whence (2) = a disreputable
rascal. [Stanford : It.
Scaramuccia the braggart buffoon
of Italian comedy.]
1662. Davies, Ambass. Trav. (1669), VI. 283. Countenances and Postures, as Scaramuzza himself would be much troubled to imitate.
1673. Wycherley, Gentleman Dancing Master, iii. 1. Ah, le brave scaramouche!
1673. Dryden, Epilogue to Univ., Oxford, 15 (Globe Ed., p. 422). Stout Scaramoucha with rush lance rode in, And run a tilt at centaur Arlequin.
1707. Ward, Hud. Rediv., II. v. 5. Dress'd up in Black, like Scaramouches.
1711. Spectator, No. 83. The third artist that I looked over was Fantasque, dressed like a Venetian scaramouch.
c. 1720. Broadside Ballad, 'The Masquerade' [Farmer, Merry Songs and Ballads (1897), iii. 233]. A Scaramouch is nimble, Tho' lazy he appears.
1716. Wilkins, Polit. Bal. (1860), II. 175. The sacramouches everywhere, With open throats bawled out.
1725. Bailey, Coll. Eras., 'Penitent Virgin.' O these Scaramouches, how they know to wheedle the poor people!
1824. Irving, Tales of a Trav. (1849), 322. He swore no scaramouch of an Italian robber would dare to meddle with an Englishman.
2. (showmen's).—A puppet.
1851-61. Mayhew, Lond. Lab., III. 60. This here's the Scaramouch that dances without a head.
Scarborough-warning (leisure,
scrabbling), &c., subs.
phr. (old).—See quots.
1546. Heywood, Proverbs [Oliphant, New Eng., i. 504. Scarborough warning (the blow before the word) is found in page 76].
1557. Heywood, Old Ballad [Harl. Misc. (Park), x. 258]. This term, Scarborow warning, grew (some say) By hasty hanging, for rank robbry theare.
1580. Tusser, Husbandry, x. 28, 22 [E. D. S.]. Be suretie seldome (but neuer for much) for feare of purse penniles hanging by such; Or Skarborow warning, as ill I beleeue, when (sir I arest yee) gets hold of thy sleeue.
1582. Stanyhurst, Ænid, iv. 621. Al they the lyke poste haste dyd make with scarboro' scrabbling.
1589. Puttenham, Eng. Poesy, B. iii. c. Skarborow warning, for a sodaine commandement, allowing no respect or delay to bethinke a man of his business.
1591. Harington, Ariosto, xxxiv. 22. They tooke them to a fort, with such small treasure And in so Scarborow warning they had leasure.
